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Government -Owned Business Incubators <br />Incubators are typically associated with technology firms, and there are many such incubators around the <br />country. The concept of the incubator is perhaps more applicable and important to the manufacturing <br />industry. Unlike technology companies, which often require relatively modest infrastructure, manufacturing <br />startups require significantly different and more expensive resources to produce products. The cost of <br />manufacturing equipment and technology can be a significant barrier to any manufacturing startup. By <br />providing not only the usual incubator benefits such as office space and the ability to network, manufacturing <br />incubators can offer tools, machinery and other benefits that would otherwise be too expensive or difficult for <br />a single startup to purchase. <br />Manufacturing incubators provide a range of important services to the industry, including: <br />• Access to common tools and infrastructure: For most startups, the ability to access tools and a facility <br />would be impossible on their own. Making those tools available as a shared service to multiple startups, <br />economies of scale are derived, and they become affordable and usable. <br />• Collaboration and sharing: The manufacturing industry is fast paced and experiences lots of technological <br />changes. Many startups are finding ways to produce goods in ways that would have been unthinkable even <br />a few years ago. When those new ideas and technologies come together within an incubator, collaboration <br />among firms is facilitated. <br />• Networking: The establishment of business relationships and partnerships is important to the success of <br />startups, and can lead greater innovation over time. Incubators bring like-minded startups together, and <br />make those kinds of connections possible. <br />• Business infrastructure: Like any startup, manufacturing startups require common business <br />infrastructure, like office space, meeting rooms, phones and internet access. Incubator environments <br />provide all of that to their startups, for comparatively little cost. <br />Sometimes manufacturing incubators are associated with a University or Technical College, using it as a <br />resource to connect its students and faculty with local businesses and their resources. Additionally, the <br />manufacturing sector can provide pre -apprentice and apprenticeship workforce training for students and <br />create a workforce pipeline. The Chippewa Valley Innovation Center is an example of a manufacturing <br />innovation center located in Wisconsin. Information on Chippewa Valley Innovation Center was derived <br />from research on their website: https://chippewavalleyinnovationcenter.org. <br />Business Incubators and the City of Ramsey 7 <br />